Pasta and Paratha is a simple manifestation of my own struggle to bring flavor and pleasure to the mundane task of eating.
The process that finally culminates into the crucial decision of “what’s for dinner” can be exasperating. So, along the pages you will find menu ideas, party food, cooking tips, everyday fare and an occasional gossip!
More than anything this blog is about love and enjoyment of food and its preparation.
You are most welcome to share your recipes, tips and secrets.

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Monday, January 10, 2011

Butter

If I had to choose between pasta and paratha, my answer would be “can I have both?”

Both the “P”s are obviously not meant to be together, but there a common link running through them which is designed to melt (hearts) literally !! Yeah, butter.

As I share some of my colorful ideas for pepping up the good ole butter, I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I do.

Let me start with an important tip before you venture into the world of flavored butter, ALWAYS keep it at ROOM TEMPERATURE for mixing. Then refrigerate so that the flavors can blend in.

Garlic butter

Simplest form of addition with mouth watering results. Add half a spoon of minced garlic, a little salt and pepper to one stick of butter. Mix well and refrigerate. This delicious butter goes extremely well with a Mediterranean sandwich or…. to make a garlic bread, what else!!

Green butter

Add half a cup cilantro and mint, finely chopped, a little salt and a little ground cumin to the butter. Green butter is best used for cooking Indian dishes or other recipes cooked with spices. It adds a lot of flavor on hot Parathas of any variety.

Red butter

My all time favorite, brightens up any dish both in color and taste. Take half a spoon or even less of dried red chili flakes and toss them with some salt into your butter. The red should be prominent and so should be the heat.

Italian butter

The use of Italian herbs in recipes brings out a different kind of aroma altogether, and if the butter is Italian too, all you got to do is start eating! Combine dried parsley, rosemary, oregano, salt and pepper to butter. Mix well and use it for your pasta.

Sweeter butter

Ok, I admit this idea is not really mine. Once while making a banana sandwich for my daughter, she questioned “why can’t everything on this bread be sweet?” So all you need to do is whip up some brown sugar (since we are already adding sugar, try and make it healthier by adding brown instead of white) with the butter. It goes very well with bananas and even green apples. But what I found best about it was that it is a good look alike for peanut butter for kids who are allergic.

So I end today on an inspired (ugh..pirated) note. Till then, food and more food…